Who wouldn't be obsessed over this water bottle??

Hydration. We all know how important it is. But why?

(because WebMD knows everything including why we’re all dying all of the time) "Hydration is important because the body is comprised mostly of water, and the proper balance between water and electrolytes in our bodies really determines how most of our systems function, including nerves and muscles," says Larry Kenney, PhD, a professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State.

Because it helps us to function and to not die, that’s why.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, hydration can be fun! And fashionable!!

Enter my new and loved water bottle.



I seriously love this thing. So so so cute – I actually drink more because I just love it so much haha. How very adult of me.

In addition to being adorable, it keeps things SO cold. Like, a few pieces of ice added to tap water and my drink is cold ALL DAY LONG. Even in a hot car. It’s amazing. Truly. I wouldn’t lie.

It’s kinda expensive and the top is too small for an ice dispenser, but I would still recommend it for anyone – hands down.

Now to decide what colors I need next… :)

A new staple for my gym bag

So. Let's talk stinky feet for a moment. I know that your feet smell like roses after a workout sesh..... but mine don't. They smell like feet. And I hate that.

Working in the Fitness field, I do a lot of activities outside my own workout sessions. Demonstrating an exercise for a client, teaching quick ab classes, testing out equipment, and other activities can get my feet.... warm. Which doesn't bode well after a long day haha.

Luckily, I discovered these foot wipes that smell like peppermint!! Love!! I just throw a pack into my gym bag and can wipe my feet down whenever I need to. I also keep spare pairs of socks in there, so I can swap those out as well. I can use them throughout the day, post-workout when I'm no going to shower right away, or just whenever I want my feet to smell delicious :)

My gym bag just got a whole lot happier :)

Thoughts on eating

Typing is still a little difficult (arm surgery) at the moment, but I've read two things I really liked lately :)



"Being the reigning Queen of Cardio causes quite a voracious appetite, and I was gobbling down all of the food.

Breakfast: 400 calories
Lunch: 400 cals
Snack: 200 cals
Dinner: 17,865* cals

*possibly an overly generous estimation, but you get the point."

-from Girls Gone Strong


Sooooooo relate-able haha



"Sure, if a particular nutrition idea — like Paleo or vegetarianism — worked for you personally, that’s awesome. You should be happy you found something that helped you reach your goals.

But to suggest that because it worked for you, at one point in your life, under a particular set of circumstances, now everyone else should follow the same program isn’t just narcissistic. It’s the antithesis of good coaching."

By John Berardi, Ph.D. Paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting... Here's how to choose the best diet for you.


Yes. Yes. I hate it when people act like nutrition is one-size-fits-all.

Oklahoma Strong - 20 years later

At 25, it's weird that I have so many memories of this day, but I guess it's not really something you forget.

Proud to call this place home <3

A Race and a Surgery

A 5k! My lovely friend and I have been keeping each other on track with our running, and finishing this fun little race with no walking was a great accomplishment :)




But then, arm surgery. Radial Tunnel Syndrome plus getting kicked off the parents' excellent health insurance next month equals getting operated on. Two weeks with stitches, so no working out at all, then likely four more weeks in a sling, then a couple months of physical therapy.




Thank goodness for painkillers and meds that keep me from puking up those painkillers! :)

Finding a Personal Trainer

Before working in the fitness world, I had a lot of misconceptions about what a good personal trainer should be like. As long as they look great, what they're doing must be working, right??

Unfortunately, not so much. I saw this great article and had some thoughts. There are so many people out there who got a little lucky genetically or who stumbled upon a good workout routine and worked their way to a rockin bod who still have no idea how to safely help people improve their lives and fitness levels.

First, many fitness certifications aren't regulated. You can take a little joke of a test online and print out your shiny certificate that says you're ready to train people. Even the ones that are legit often don't require more than a HS diploma and a little studying to pass a test. While this is a great educational opportunity, it doesn't necessarily prepare you for the ins and outs of taking someone's health and safety into your hands. So my first piece of advice would be to look into the educational background of a personal trainer you might be considering. Did they go to college for this? Just how many certifications do they have, and from which certifying body did they get those certifications? How long have they been doing this? Overall, just make sure the person knows what they are doing and has actual science to back it up.

Second, do they try pushing specific supplements, fad diets, or crazy workout regimens? If so, run for your life. While people are free to try these things (good luck with that), your personal trainer should stick to research-backed exercises, plans, and progressions... not magic pills and potions. And if they try to push ideas that they got out of a fitness magazine.... just don't.

Third, if your PT tries to write you a meal plan, get out. Only Registered Dietitians are legally allowed to do so, and any personal trainer who tries to pass that off is way out of line. Fitness (and a little bit of general nutrition advice) is the PT's domain. That's it.

Personal trainers can be an amazing tool in your health and fitness journey (people who use them lose more weight, on average), but just make sure you choose the right one :)

Fitness-isms (that are all too true)

There are certain phrases and ideas that are thrown around in the fitness world...... All The Time haha.

The thing is, though, some of them are true! (Shocking, I know.)

Here are some that I've been running into a lot lately.

If you're not losing weight, you're not burning more energy than you're taking in!

It's not just the gym that counts, it's how active you are throughout the day! Get up and move!

Just because you work out, doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight!

:)


Any little nuggets of fitness advice you'd like to share?